The Ohio Action Coalition, which is led by the Ohio League for Nursing and the Ohio Hospital Association, has developed a Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, which calls for increasing the number of BSN-educated RNs in the Ohio workforce. To do this, the Coalition is working to create innovative ways to provide Ohio RNs with continual, flexible, and affordable academic progression.
Despite the Ohio Action Coalition’s push for baccalaureate-educated nurses, the 2013 Ohio Workforce Registered Nurse Report states that only 31% of nurses in the state were baccalaureate-educated.
To assist the Ohio Action Coalition’s education initiative, the Ohio Board of Nursing is taking steps to make BSN education affordable, by providing state grants and state scholarships for nurses. Included in these are the Board’s Nurse Education Loan Assistance Program (NEALP) and the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP), which repays up to 85% of RN’s outstanding student loans.
Along with this, Ohio hospitals are offering flexible scheduling and financial support to employed RNs working towards a BSN. For instance, Akron General Medical Center, located in Akron, Ohio, offers eligible semi-full and full-time employees tuition reimbursement, so that RNs can return to school with full support and assistance from their employer.
Baccalaureate-level education allows RNs to qualify for jobs in such areas as education or nursing management. The following are just a few career opportunities available for BSN-educated RNs in Ohio as of February 2015:
- Clinical Educator – Visiting Physicians Association, Youngstown
- RN Clinical Educator – Mount Carmel Health, Columbus
- Nurse Manager – Ohio State University Medical Center
- Registered Nurse Patient Transfer Center Nurse Manager – Department of Veterans Affairs, Cincinnati
Ohio’s RN to BSN Programs
RN to BSN programs in Ohio are modeled in such a way as to give RNs easy access to education, providing flexible, online courses. In this way, RNs can return to school, advance their education, and become eligible for advanced nursing career opportunities, all while continuing to work.
Prerequisites
To be eligible for enrollment in an Ohio RN to BSN program, RNs should meet the following admissions criteria:
- Hold an Active Ohio Registered Nurse License
- Have Completed Prerequisite Nursing Courses in an Associate Degree in Nursing Program
- Hold a 2.5 – 2.75 GPA in Previous ADN Program
Ohio Board of Nursing-approved BSN programs are also prevalent throughout the state, including, but not limited to, those located in the following Ohio cities:
- Mansfield
- Cincinnati
- Berea
- Parma
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Cedarville
- Findlay
- Steubenville
- Kent
- Hiram
- Kettering
RN to BSN Program Structure
Ohio’s RN to BSN programs work to build upon previous ADN education. Because of this, RN to BSN programs will accept all nursing ADN transfer credits, counting them as prerequisites to the RN to BSN program. After accepting these credits, RNs will be able to complete online coursework around their busy schedules to fulfill the BSN requirements.
These courses will consist of general, liberal arts courses and baccalaureate-level nursing courses, including the following:
- Health and Wellness
- Theory and Professional Practice
- Professional Role Development
- Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
- Nursing Pharmacology
- Pathophysiology for Nurses
- Health Assessment
- Medical Surgical Nursing
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Nursing Research
- Gerontological Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
After completing all baccalaureate-level nursing courses, RNs will have shortened clinical requirements, generally spending just their final semester participating in supplemental fieldwork and clinical components. RNs in Ohio will be able to complete clinicals at a location close to home, sometimes even at their employing hospital.
Ohio hospitals that offer clinical education include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Akron General Medical Center – Akron
- Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland
- University Hospitals Case Medical Center – Cleveland
RN to BSN programs also ensure a seamless transition into MSN programs.
Ohio Hospitals that Support RNs Enrolling in RN to BSN Programs
To help support RNs enrolling in RN to BSN programs, many hospitals throughout the state are offering tuition assistance as an employee benefit. Just a few of those hospitals include, but are not limited to, the following.
Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland
The largest private employer in Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Clinic is rates at the #1 “Best Hospitals in Ohio,” by the U.S. News and World Report, and employees over 39,000 employees. Cleveland Clinic is, more specifically, the largest employer of APRNs in the state of Ohio, making advanced career opportunities here for RNs numerous. This clinic holds a culture of wellness and excellence, giving a seemingly endless list of benefits and career advancement opportunities to its employees, including in-house education, a Caregiver Celebrations awards program, and tuition reimbursement.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center – Cleveland
Receiving Magnet Recognition from the American Nursing Credentialing Center from 2010-2014, the University Hospitals Case Medial Center is known for high quality excellence when it comes to nursing. Along with this, this medical center has been ranked as one of the nation’s top hospitals by the U.S. News and World Report and has been ranked No. 1 in the DiversityInc “Top 10 Hospitals and Health Systems for Diversity.” With this high level of nursing excellence, it is not surprising that University Hospitals Case Medical Center supports RNs in achieving advanced education, which they do through employee assistance programs and tuition reimbursement.
Bethesda North Hospital – Cincinnati
Bethesda North Hospital in Cincinnati is ranted in the top 5% of hospitals in the country for clinical assistance, offering top-notch nursing care. Including heart care clinics, maternity services, and emergency departments, the Bethesda North Hospital has grown to become one of the best hospitals in the Northern Cincinnati region. To rise to this level of greatness, Bethesda offers advanced nursing education through and accredited, affiliated organization, as well as a tuition reimbursement program for RNs who want to enroll in any accredited RN to BSN program.
More Ohio hospitals that offer support to RNs pursuing a BSN include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center – Columbus
- Summa Akron City and St. Thomas Hospitals – Akron
- Good Samaritan Hospital – Cincinnati